Hitting wicket hard key to mastering Kookaburra ball Down Under: Broad

MELBOURNE - England fast bowler Stuart Broad has said that hitting the wicket hard is the key to mastering the Kookaburra ball in Australian conditions.

He further said bending your back is also the way to get the best out of the hard Australian wickets.

“The Kookaburra ball, certainly when it’s brand new, seems to do a little bit,” he said ahead of England’s match with South Australia at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

“But the key to it, notably on Australian wickets, is just to try to hit the wicket as hard as you possibly can. And that’[s when I think the bowlers have had a bit more success over here, because you get a bit more bounce and a bit more variable bounce later in the game,” FOX Sports quoted Broad, as saying.

England’s past troubles coming to grips with the Kookaburra ball have been well documented.

But Broad insisted the English are very comfortable with the Kookaburra ball on this tour.

“It can swing early and we saw at the WACA if you really do bang it into the wicket you can get some sideways movement,” he said.

“We’re confident with it . . . the big difference is the Dukes can swing for the whole day whereas the Kookaburra only seems to swing for the first 10 or 15 overs,” Broad said.

Fellow pacer Steven Finn agreed the Kookaburra versus Duke debate had been overblown. (ANI)